This invention relates to coated articles that include at least one boride layer sandwiched between at least a pair of dielectric layers. In certain example embodiments, the boride layer may comprise titanium boride (TiBx), zirconium boride (ZrBx), and/or any other suitable boride. Such coated articles may be used in insulating glass (IG) window units, monolithic window units, vehicle windows, mirrors, and/or other suitable applications.
Solar control coatings having a layer stack of glass/Si3N4/NiCr/Si3N4 are known in the art. Unfortunately, while such layer stacks provide efficient solar control and are overall good coatings, they sometimes are lacking in terms of: (a) corrosion resistance to acid (e.g., HCl boil); (b) mechanical performance such as scratch resistance; and/or (c) thermal stability upon heat treatment for tempering, heat bending, or the like (i.e., xcex94E* value(s)).
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a coated article that has improved characteristics with respect to (a), (b) and/or (c) compared to a conventional layer stack of glass/Si3N4/NiCr/Si3N4, but which still is capable of acceptable solar control (e.g., blocking a reasonable amount of IR and/or UV radiation). It is a purpose of this invention to fulfill at least one of the above-listed needs, and/or other needs which will become apparent to the skilled artisan once given the following disclosure.
In certain example embodiments of this invention, a coating or layer system is provided which includes at least one layer comprising a boride sandwiched between at least a pair of dielectric layers. The layer comprising the boride may include titanium boride (TiBx) or zirconium boride (ZrBx) in certain example embodiments of this invention. In certain example embodiments, the coating or layer system has good corrosion resistance to acid(s) such as HCl, good mechanical performance such as scratch resistance, and/or good color stability (i.e., a low xcex94E* value(s)) upon heat treatment (HT).
Generally speaking, certain example embodiments of this invention fulfill one or more of the above listed objects and/or needs by providing a coated article including a layer system supported by a glass substrate, the layer system comprising: a first layer comprising silicon nitride; a layer comprising at least one metal boride provided on the glass substrate over the first layer comprising silicon nitride; and a second layer comprising silicon nitride provided on the glass substrate over the layer comprising the metal boride.
In certain other example embodiments of this invention, one or more of the above-listed objects and/or needs is fulfilled by providing a coated article including a layer system supported by a glass substrate, the layer system comprising: a first layer comprising silicon nitride; a layer comprising titanium boride and/or zirconium boride provided on the glass substrate over the first layer comprising silicon nitride; and a second layer comprising silicon nitride provided on the glass substrate over the layer comprising titanium boride and/or zirconium boride.
In still other example embodiments of this invention, one or more of the above-listed objects and/or needs is/are fulfilled by providing a method of making a coated article for use in a window, the method comprising: providing a glass substrate to be used in the window; sputtering a first dielectric layer on the glass substrate; sputtering a layer comprising a metal boride on the glass substrate over the first dielectric layer; sputtering a second dielectric layer over the layer comprising the metal boride; and heat treating the coated article including the first and second dielectric layers and the layer comprising the metal boride so that as a result of the heat treating the coated article has a xcex94E*G (glass side reflective) value of no greater than 4.0.
In still other example embodiments of this invention, one or more of the above-listed objects and/or needs is/are fulfilled by providing a coated article including a layer system supported by a glass substrate, the layer system comprising: a first layer; a layer comprising a metal boride provided on the glass substrate over the first layer; another layer provided on the glass substrate over the layer comprising the metal boride; and wherein the coated article has a xcex94E*G (glass side reflective) value of no greater than 2.5 due to heat treatment, wherein the heat treatment is for at least about 5 minutes at a temperature(s) of at least about 580 degrees C.